Shoe supports



w. A. BARKER sHoE 'SUPPORTS Aug. 30, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original'Filed Hay l1. 1954 @MM45/M Aug. 3G, 1960 W. A. BARKER SHOE! SUPPORTS 4Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed May 11, 1954 Aug. 30, 1960 w. A. BARKER2,950,491

SUPPORTS Original Filed May l1. 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Aug. 30, 1960 w.A. BARKER SHOE SUPPORTS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed May 11. 1954SHOE SUPPORTS William A. Barker, Leicester, England, nssgnor to UnitedShoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, NJ., `a c orporation of NewJersey Original application May 11, 1954, Ser. No. 429,070,

now Patent No. 2,855,616, dated Oct. 14, 1958. Divided and thisapplication Apr. 2, 1958, Ser. No. 725,865

Claims. V(Cl, 12-'127) This invention relates to machines for operatingon shoes, for shaping or leveling the bottoms thereof. Moreparticularly, the invention relates to shoe supports and is illustratedas embodied in a machine `of the type having a leveling tool, a shoesupport, power operated -means for etecting relative movements of theshoe support and the leveling tool in opposite .directions lengthwise of.a shoe on a support to cause the tool to .operate progressively alongthe shoe bottom. Such a machine is illustrated and described in UnitedStates Letters Patent No. 2,855,616, granted October 14, 1958, in myname and of which this application is a division.

The shoe support comprises a toe support and a heel support adjustablerelatively thereto to accommodate shoes of different sizes. It isdesirable that the toe yend of the shoe .occupy a predetermined positionrelatively to the leveling tool and to insure the proper location of.the shoe thereon and accordingly the proper positioning of the heelsupport, a gage is associated with the toe support. In accordance withan object of the invention the gage projects above the toe support forengagement by the toe end of the shoe and mechanism is provided forretracting the gage to avoid interference with the leveling tool duringmovement of the shoe support to carry the shoe beneath the levelingtool.

As a feature of the invention the heel support includes a last pinarranged to be received by the thimble of a last, the last pin beingmovable about an axis extending transversely of the last thereon so thatthe toe end of the last may be forced against the toe support and thelast pin is also movable laterally about an axis extending lengthwise ofthe last to insure the proper relationship between the last and the toesupport. During jacking of the shoe and movement of the last pin aboutits iirstmentioned `axis to force the toe end of the shoe against thetoe support, the last pin is locked against further lateral movementspreparatory to the leveling operation.

The above and other features of the invention includ.- ing novelcombinations of parts and details of construction will now be describedby reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims.

ln the drawings,

l Fig. 1 is a right elevation partly in section of one form of machineembodying lthe invention;

Fig. 2 is a right elevation partly in section illustrating one of thejacks in a forward position to receive a shoe;

Fig. 2a is a front elevation of the last pin mounting mechanism;

Fig. 2b is a side elevation with parts broken away of the last pinlocking means;

Fig. 3 is a right elevation partly in section of mechanism by which thejack is actuated to carry the shoe for wardly and rearwardly beneath aleveling roll; and

Fig. 4 is a detail .of .a portion of the jack actuating mechanism, thisview .being taken at right angles t0 Fig. 3.

As illustrated herein the machine is provided with a pair of shoesupporting jacks one of which is shown in nited States Patent O g2,959,491 Patented Aug. 30, 1960 Fig. 2, these jacks being arranged toswing rearwardly and forwardly to carry a shoe thereon beneath aleveling vroll 270. fEach jack comprises a toe support 146, a heelsupport 148 and a cone support 150.

The toe support A146 comprises a rubber pad 152 having a recess 15.4shaped to conform to the toe portion of a shoe. The pad 152 is carriedby a plate 156 having a pair o f downwardly extending pins 158 fittinginto holes in a 'block 169. The pad 152 and the plate 156 may be removedfrom the block 160 merely by lifting them whereby they are readilyreplaced if desired by an assembly having a toe pad -with a diiferentlyshaped recess. The block 160 is carried for Arocking movement wherebythe pad accommodates itself to the toe end of the shoe. For this purposethe block is mounted between side walls of an adjustable support 162between the sides of which are journaled rolls 164 on which rests thecurved bottom face of the block 160, so that the block and the toe padmay rock forwardly or rearwardly. The amount of rocking movement islimited by a pin 16h engageable with the sides .of a recess 16S formedin the block 160. Engagement of this pin with the bottom of the recessVprevents the block from being lifted from the adjustable support 162.

r[he lengthwise position of the shoe 4with reSpeCt to the toe support iscontrolled by a toe gage 170. This gage Vis carried for heightwiseadjustment in a holder 172 which is pivotally mounted at 174 on therearward end of a .lever u17,6. This lever is pivoted on a pin 178 whichcarries the rear block supporting roll 164 and has a Aforwardlyextending arm 189 which is normally held by a spring 182 against a pin184 carrying the forward block supporting roll 164. The toe gage holder172 has a downwardly extending Aarm 185 carrying an adjustable stopscrew 1 86 which is normally held in engagement with a jack post 188 bya torsion spring 19t). It Will be understood that by adjusting the stopscrew 18.6 the position of the gage lengthwise of the toe support may bereadily adjusted. At `an opportune time at the beginuint-,1r of thecycle of operations of the machine the lever 1,76 is moved in aclockwise direction about the pivot 17.8 to rnove the toe gagedownwardly to avoid interference with the leveling roll as will behereinafter eXPlaiued- The adjustable support 1562 for the `toe pad ismounted at the upper end of the jack post 18S for heightwise adjustment,the heightwise position of the support being controlled by a wedge v1192between the jack post and lthe adjustable support and arranged to beadjusted by a hand screw 194,. The jack post 188 is mounted for rockingmovements on a horizontally extending `shaft 196 extending laterally ofthe machine near the front thereof. The jack post has a rearwardlyextending arm 198 arranged to be connected to mechanism for rocking thejack during the leveling operation as will be described. The jack postalso includes a downwardly extending arm 200 to which is pivotallyVconnected a heel post 2.02.

For moving the toe gage y17h downat the beginning of the levelingoperation the arm of the support for the gage is connected by a chain orsuitable iiexible connection 276 passing around a guide pulley 278 witha lever 280 pivoted to an arm 254 of a lever 256 pivoted at 258 to thejack post l188. A spring 282 connected between the levers 280 and 256maintains the chain 27 6 taut. The lever 256 has a downwardly extendingarm 2.60 carrying a cam roll 262 arranged upon rearward swingingmovement of the jack to engage a c am 264 secured to the frame of themachine.

Each of the jacks of the machine may assume a position at the ,end of a.Cycle of operations in which it is in a Well forward position as shownin Fig. 2 to enable a hand operation to be performed on the shoe itdesired or upper arm of lthe lever 256y and'to the jack'postV 188v holdsthe upper arm'of the lever in a forward position against an adjustablestop screw 267 carried by the jack post.

If the jack is in its'forwardmost position at the end of a cycle ofYoperations itis moved back to the position shown in Fig. 1 by theoperator before the machine is started. In this position the toe` end ofthe sole of the' Y `shoe is located slightly ahead of the'leveling roll270 and i Vthecam roll-262 (Fig. 2) on the lever 256 is in orV nearlyVin engagement with a Aportion. 272 of the xed cam Y26d. VUponV furthermovement ofthe jackby the Y power operation of theV machine as describedmore fully Y' in ,the4 above-noted Patent No. 2,855,616, engagement ofthe cam Yroll 262Y with'the inclined portion V272 of the carrtY causesthe Ylever 256 to move Vin a clockwise direction as viewed'in Fig. 2.This movement of the lever 256/causesythe cone-support 150 to be lockedVin its rm supporting positionas Yfully Set Yforth in said patent andalso causes the toe gage 170 to be moved downwardly through theVaforementioned connections against the action of the spring 182.V

' To assisttheoperator in moving the jack rearwardly from itsforwardmost position into the position of Fig. 1, the weight of the jackis substantially balanced by a Ytorsion spring 288 one end of whichengages the jack and the other end of which engages an adjustable block290 securedY by a screw 292 to a member 294 mounted 4which passesdownwardly between the arms of a yoke member 330. The upper end portionsof the arms of the yoke are pivoted on a horizontal spindle 332, securedin the rearwardly extending arms of a pair of last pin actuating levers334, the yoke .lying between these arms. The lower end of the rod 328has connected to it a tension spring 336 the lower end of which isconnected to thev heel post 202.` 'lhis spring urges the last pin 298rearwardly into the position shown in vFigj 2. Surrounding Vthe lowerend of the rod328 is a compression spring 338 the lower end of whichrests on a block`340radjustablysupportedrby a nut 342 threaded on thelower end Y Fig'.V 2-causing the rod 328 toV be raised and bringing theonvthe shaft V196. The member 294 has a rearwardly extending arm 296engageable with a lug 286 on the vframe of the machine. The block 2970and the'member 294 have interengaging teeth to prevent relative slippingY movement between them. The spring isY so VarrangedV that the jack asit moves forwardly tensions the spring and the extent of this tension isadjusted by varying the heel post 2432.v Thus the lastrpin canswing'forwa'rdly and rearwardly-aboutrth'e'pin 306 and laterally aboutY' f the axis of the pinl3tl2. v Slidably mounted in the holder 308 is`a last supporting pin 310 arranged to Vengage the forward portionpofthe heel end of the last. VThe lower end Vof'rthe .last supporting pin31) rests on Vthe upper 'and of@ pin sie Slidably mounted in the broek304, the arrangement Vbeing such that the lastrsupporting pin 310Ycanvmove relatively to the pin 312 when the last pin 298 moveslaterally about the axis of the pin 382.

The lower end of the last pin has an annular groove 314 engagedrby aball 316 in the last pin holder 380. The ball is held in the groove 314by the last supporting pin 319 so that'when the last supporting pin iswithdrawn from the holder the last pin 298 may be" with-V drawn from theholder and replaced with a pinV of the' desired size.V The lower end ofthe pin 312 rests on a face 318 ofthe block supporting post 398. Theholder V30() is locked in its laterally tilted position by a plunger 320the upper end of which has an arcuate toothed sur-V face arranged toengage a correspondinglytoothed surface on the lower face of the holder306. The lower' end of the plunger 329 is engaged by a Vcam 322 pivotedat 324 on a downwardly extending armof tfrlre'blockV 304. The cam322'has a rearwardlyfextending arm pivotally 'connected to the upper endof arod 326.

Y Pivotally connected to the block384 isV the upper end of ion `ot adownwardly extending rod 328, the lower port upper end of thecompressionspring V338close to the undersurface of the yoke member 330. Y For-aVpurpose toVbeA described, the yoke member 330 may be swung rearwardlyVfrom above the spring 338 and held Vin this positionor in the positionshown in Fig. 2 by a spring plunger 344 in one of 'the Varmsof the yokeVmember engaging one of two recesses in the spindleV 332. 'f

Y The last pin actuating levers 334 are pivoted yon pins 346 carried byupwardlyextending lugs 348 located at opposite sides of theblock'supporting post 308. The lugs 348 are carried by a member 350slidingly mounted on thepost 308. Pivoted to the'forwardly extendingarms'of the levers 334 is Vthe front end vportion of an actuating link352. A rear end portion of this link is pivotally connected to arearwardly and upwardly extending arm Vof a hand lever'354 pivotallycarried by a laterally extending pin 356'secured in theheel post 202.The actuating link'352 and the arm of the hand lever 354 form a togglewhich with the hand lever in a raised position, Vas shown in Fig. 2, isbroken and is straightened upon movement of the hand lever into thelowered position shown in Fig. 1. With the hand lever-354 in its raisedposition it extends upwardly and forwardly from the pin 356 and isprovidedat itswforward end with a handle 358 arranged to be grippedbythe operator.

`V`Pivoted'to the hand lever-354 and extending beneath the handle 358 isa latch lever 360 to which` is pivoted one Aend of a latch rod 362.VThe'other end-of the latch rod is` guided by a hole through astud364pivoted in the-hand lever 354. YThe lower end ofV the-rod 362 isnormally heldin a recess in al block 366 secured to the heel-post 202byatension Vs'pring'368 connected to the latch lever 360 andthe hand lever354. By' moving the Y latch lever 360 upwardly the rod 362 is withdrawnfrom the recess and upon movement of the hand lever 354 to its loweredposition the end of the rod rides olf the blockV and is moved by theVtension spring beneath thefblockV to lock the hand leverin its loweredposition.` At `this time a shoulder on the rod engages an arcuate faceof the block to limitV the movement of the rod beneath the block. Thestud 3764 passes through an arcuate slot 376 in the block 366 andlimitsV up and down movement of the hand lever 354. Y 5 Y Y -Pivoted tothe hand ylever V354 is the front end of a link 372 the rear end ofwhich .ispivoted tothe upper end of an arm 374 of a control lever Y376.This control lever is pivotedron a pin 378 in the heel post'2l2 and hasa downwardly extending arm the lower endrof'whieh Vis'` in the form oftwo arcuate faces 384i, 382 located at different distances from thepivot 378 and joined by an inclined face.' Also pivoted on the pin-37SVisV a downwardly extending ratchet lever 384 provided at its lower endwith rearwardly facing ratchet'teeth Y386. Beneath 'IhewratchetV leverprovided with a rearwardly extending arm 390 engageable with a block 392carried by the sliding member 350, and is so held by a tension spring394.

With the parts positioned as illustrated in Fig. 2, the last engagingmembers on the heel post are in positions to receive a last and shoe. Inplacing the shoe on the jack, the thimble is placed over the last pinand the toe, of the shoe is lifted so that it can. be placed on the toerest. This causes the last pin to be swung forwardly against the tensionof the aforementioned spring 336, lifting the rod 328 and with it thespring 338 until the spring is just below the yoke member 330. With thelast and shoe supported on the heel pin and on the toe rest, the handlever 354 is moved down by the operator thus straightening the toggleformed by the hand lever and the link 352 causing the actuating levers334 to turn about their pivotal connection 346 to the sliding member 350until the resistance ofered by the shoe through the last pin and rod 328causes the actuating levers to turn about their pivotal connection tothe yoke member 330 thereby raising the sliding member 350. As thismember rises, the block 392 thereon raises the arm 390, swinging theratchet lever 384 in a counterclockwise direction, the teeth 386 movingpast the detent 388 which is being held down by the face 380 of thecontrolling lever 376. Before the toggle formed by the hand lever andthe link 352 is fully straightened, the controlling lever 376 which hasbeen moving in a counterclockwise direction as the hand lever has beenmoved down, presents the face 388 to the detent 388 allowing the detentto engage one of the ratchet teeth to lock the ratchet lever 384 againstfurther counterclockwise movement and thus to lock the sliding -member350 against further upward movement. During the the last part of thedownward movement of the hand lever 354 after the sliding member'hasbeen locked, the toggle straightens and the actuating levers 334 moveabout their pivot 346 on the sliding member 356 and through the rod 328and the spn'ng 338 move the last pin rearwardly to press the toe end ofthe shoe firmly against the toe rest.

When the hand lever reaches its lowest position the operator releasesthe latch lever 360 whereupon the latch rod 362 ylocks the hand leverand the parts controlled thereby in this position during the levelingoperation At the completion of the leveling operation the operator gripsthe latch lever 36) to release the latch rod and raises the hand leverto return the parts to their starting positions.

The lower end of the rod 326 which controls the cam 322 by which thelastpin holder is locked against lateral tipping movements has at itslower end a slot through which passes a pin 396 carried by an ann 398pivoted at 401) to the link 352. The arm 398 is connected by a spring402 to the link 352. This spring normally holds a portion 484 of the arm398 against a face on the link 352. Upon downward movement of the handlever 354, the toggle formed by the hand lever and the link 352 isstraightened and during this straightening movement the pin 396 movesinto engagement with the lower end of the slot in the rod 326 and thenmoves the rod downwardly to move the cam member 322 in a clockwisedirection moving the plunger 32% upwardly to engage the toothed arcuateface on the last pin holder thus locking the holder against lateralmovement. Following this locking of the last pin holder the arm 398 ispermitted to move about its pivot against the action of the spring 492without causing damage to the parts which have been locked againstfurther movement.

With the parts in the positions shown in Fig. 2, the last supporting pin316 is in a raised position. Upon swinging the last pin 298 forwardlyabout its pivot 306 as the toe lportion of the last is raised by theoperator, the face 318 upon which the lower end of the pin 312 restspermits this pin and consequently the last supporting pin 310 to bepressed down by the last as the last is placed over the last pin by theoperator and the last supporting pin 310 determines the heightwiseposition of the last on the pin 298. Upon downward movement of the handlever 354 to force the toe end of the lasted shoe against the toe rest146, the last pin 298 swings rearwardly and the pin 312 rides up theface 318 to press the last supporting pin 310 against the last rmly tosupport the heel end portion of the last against the pressure of theleveling roll.

For accommodating shoes of different sizes, the heel post 262 isadjustable toward and away from the jack post 188. For this purpose, the'postsv are connected by a screw 406 threaded through a block 408 on thejack post and passing through a block 410 on the heel post, the screwcarrying collars at opposite sides of the block 419 to preventlengthwise movement of the screw therethrough. The forward end of thescrew carries a handle 412 by which the screw may be turned to move theheel post toward or away from the jack post.

It may be desirable to employ a stirrup or saddle 414 (Fig. l) to holdthe lasted shoe in position on the jack. In such case the yoke member330 (Fig. 2) is swung rearwardly from above the spring 338 to free thelast pin for swinging movement about the pivot 306. The stirrup 414 maybe detachably connected to the last pin actuating levers 334 by yieldingconnections similar to those illustrated and described in Letters Patentof the United States No. 2,073,005, granted March 9, 1937, in the nameof Andrew Eppler. Upon removal of the stirrup 414 the yieldingconnections may be held in inoperative positions by a latch 416 (Fig.2). The stirrup disclosed herein does not cover the entire shoe bottomas in the aforementioned patent but covers only the shank portion of theshoe. A stirrup of such Width is more effective to hold the shankportion of the shoe bottom against the last than one which covers theforepart and heel seat. The mechanism operates in the manner abovedescribed except that the saddle is pulled firmly against the shoe topress the toe end of the shoe against the toe rest instead of relyingupon rearward tipping movement of the last pin.

For connecting the jack to power operated mechanism by which forward andrearward movements of the jack are effected during the levelingoperation, the rearwardly extending arm 198 is provided with a hole 418to receive an end portion of a bolt 420 (Figs. 3 and 4) slidinglymounted in a jack rocking arm 422 which is pivoted on the shaft 196 bywhich the jack post 188 is carried, the arm extending rearwardly fromthe shaft at one side of the rearwardly extending arm 198. The bolt 420has extending upwardly into it a recess 424 which receives the upperball-shaped end of a stud 426 which passes through an opening in thejack rocking arm 422 and is secured in the upper end of an arm 428 of anactuating lever 438 pivoted on a forwardly and rearwardly extendingspindle 432 in the jack rocking arm 422. The bolt 426 is urged in adirection to enter the hole 418 in the arm 198 by a compression spring434 housed within the arm 422 and engaging the inner end of the bolt420. The bolt actuating lever 43@ has a laterally extending arm 436which is normally held against an adjustable screw 438 in the jackrocking arm 422 by the spring 434. Pivoted to the outer end of thelaterally extending arm 436 is an upwardly extending bar 440 whichpasses through an opening in the outer end portion of a trip arm 442.This trip arm is pivoted on a pin 444 carried by an upwardly projectingbracket of the arm 422. A tension spring 446 connects a downwardlyextending arm 448 of the trip arm 442 to the bar 440 urging the arm 448toward a stop pin 450 in the jack rocking arm and the side face of thebar 440 toward a roll 452 on the jack rocking arm 422. Secured to theunderside of the trip arm 442 is a block 454 arranged to engage theupper end of a block 456 on the side of the bar 440 during the operationof the machine on a shoe.

'Upon forward movement of the jack at the conclusion of'a levelingoperation toward its loading position the rearwardly extending arm V198vand Ythe jack rocking arm 4,22 are moving Yupwardlywhereupon the triparm 442 moves into engagement with a screw 458 carried by a bracket 465mthe upper portion of the machine frame so that the trip arm moves`downwardly about its pivot 444. During Ythis movement therblock 454engages the upper end of the block 456 on the bar 440 moving the bardownwardly and rocking the bolt actuating lever 430 in a clockwisedirection, as seen in Fig.r4, to withdraw riedby-a cam shaft 130. 'Thisshaft carries a gear,4 981 which isY in turn controlledfby Itheconjoint.` action ofV the eccentric 478 and the cam roll 492 A riding inthe groove 494 of the cam 49,6.

g Provision is made for adjusting the block'470 along the slot 468 forVvarying the jack motionV automatically according to the size setting ofthejack aswell as Y manually independent of the sizeadjustment. of theVjack the bolt 420. from the arm'198 of the jack post. As soon as thebolt is withdrawn from the jack post theV jackA moves forwardly bygravity to its forwardmost position until a leather-covered lug 284(Fig. 2)k on the jack post 188 engages the lugs-286 -on the machineframe. The arm 422 continues to move upwardly and the bar 446 movesfurther downwardly whereupon a cam 462 on the side of the bar 440engages the roll 452 moving the bar about its pivot against the actionof the spring 446 to move the Vblock 456 on the barrfrom'beneath theblock 454 on the trip arm 442. pushes the bolt 420 outwardly and the bar440 upwardly into the position shown in Fig. V4. Upon downward movementof the jack rocking arm 422 at the beginning of the next cycle ofoperations of the machine the outer end of the trip arm 442 is raisedlby the spring 446 and the block 456 on the bar 444) snaps under theblock 454 on the trip arm 442.

The rearwardly extending arm 198 has ari-inclined cam face 439 (Fig. 4)which engages the outerV end of the bolt 4253 and pushes the boltinwardly against the action of the spring 434Vupon movement of the jackrearwardly from its forwardmost position. This action continues untilthe hole 41S in the arm 198 arrives Vopposite to the bolt whereupon thebolt snaps into the hole thus connecting the jack to the power operatingThe spring 434 thereupon mechanism. Carried in the rear end of the arm198 is a vertically movable plunger 44l the lower end'of which engages alug 443 on the jack rocking arm 422 during this rearward movement of thejack, causing upward movement of the plunger and stressing of a leafspring 445 secured to the'arm 19S. This spring provides a Yforce tostart movement of the jack forwardly at the end of the levelingoperation upon withdrawal of ythe bolt 429 in the jack actuating armfrom the hole Y 13 in the jack. Y

Should'ritk be desired to arrest the forward motion of the jack in ktheposition Vshown`in Fig. 2, the bracket 466, which is pivoted Yto abracket on the machine frame is swung Vout of the way toV an inoperativeposition so that the trip arm 442 is not operated to withdraw thebolt425 to release the jack for forward movement beyond the position shownin Fig. l. YThus the bolt-429l remains in engagement with the jackrocking arm at all'times Vuntil the bracket 469 is returned to itsoperative position. `For rocking the jacks in 'the leveling operationeach jack rocking arm 422'has a'forwardly and rearwardly extendingarcuate slot 46S in which is adjustably mounted a block 479pivotally'connected Kto the upper end por- Y .t tion of one of a pair ofactuating links 472 there being one link foreach jack. The lower ends ofthe links Y V472 are pivoted to a jack operating lever 474. The

- on a drive shaft 16, and consequently rotates continuously.during7eachcycle of operation ofthe machine.V Y The rear end of the jack actuatinglevel-"474 is'pivoted tothe front end V'portion of a guidinglink 48Swhich is pivoted at its rear end to a bracket 490 on the machine 1frame.' The jack actuating lever 474 carries a cam roll .492 whch'ridesin a camrgroove-494 in a cam 496 car-V ina manner fully described intheabove-noted Patent- No. 2,855,616. Having thus described my invention,`what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-of the UnitedStates is: Y Y v I l. In aY leveling-machine having arleveling tool, ajack for carrying Va shoe forwardly and y rearwardly beneath theleveling tool kto cause the vtool to operate progressively along thebottom of the shoe on the jack, said-jack comprising a toe support,V aheelsupport adjustable relatively tofsaid Vtoe support in accordancewith the size ofthe shoe to be operated upon, a gage associated with andYprojecting above said toe support for engagement with theV toe end ofthe shoe to assist in properly positioning the shoe lengthwise on theVjack, means mounting said gage for adjustment lengthwise of the toesupport,l and automatic means operable prior to engagement of` the toolwith the shoe bottom fortretractng the'gage to avoid interference withthe leveling tool. Y

2. In a leveling machine having a leveling tool, a jack for carrying ashoeY forwardly and rearwardly beneath' the leveling tool Ito cause thetool to operate Vprogressively along the bottom of the shoe on )thejack, said jack comprising a toe support, a heel support adjustablerelatively to said toe support in accordance with the size Y 3. In alevelingY machine having a leveling tool, a jack for carrying a shoeforwardly and rearwardly beneath the leveling tool to cause the tool tooperate progressively along the-bottom of the shoe on the jack, saidjack comprising a toe support, a heel support adjustable relatively tosaid toe support in kaccordance vwith the size Vof the shoe to Vbeoperated upon, a gage associated withI `and projecting above said toesupport for engagement Vwith the toe end of the shoe to assist .inproperly positioning the shoe lengthwise onV the jack, means operativein response to movement of the jack to carry the shoe beneath ltheleveling tool for retracting the gage to avoid interference with theleveling tool, `and means mounting VVsaid gage for adjustment lengthwiseof the toe4 support.

4. In a leveling machine having a leveling tool, a jack for carrying ashoe forwardly and rearwardly beneath the leveling tool to cause Ithetool to operate progressivelyVV along the bottom of theY shoe on thejack, Ysaid jack comprising a toe support, a heel support adjustablerelatively to said toe support in accordance with the size of the shoeto be operated upon, a gageassociated with and projecting above said toesupportV for engagement with the toe end of the shoe to'assist inproperly posi- Vtioning the shoe lengthwise on the jack, said Vjackbeing located ini'a predeterminedV positionV forwardly of the levelingVtool'prior to commencementrof the leveling operation, power operated'means forjmoving the jack rearwardly, and means operative at thebeginning of said movement of the jack for depressing the gage below theshoe bottom-to avoid interference with the leveling tool.VY

v t f im 5. In a leveling machine having a leveling tool, a jack forcarrying a shoe forwardly and rearwardly beneath the leveling tool tocause 111e tool to operate progressively along the bottom of the shoe onthe jack, said jack comprising a toe support and a heel support, saidheel support including a last pin arranged to be received by the thimblein the heel end of a last, means mounting said last pin for movementlengthwise and laterally of a shoe thereon, means for moving said lastpin toewardly of a shoe thereon to force the toe end of the shoe intofirm engagement with the toe support, and means operative upon suchmovement of the last pin for locking the pin against lateral movement.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,263,488 Cross Nov. 18, 1941

